Worcester rooming house that burned to be rebuilt as micro-apartments

Monday

Dec 2, 2013 at 6:00 AM

By Linda Bock, TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

WORCESTER — The owner of the Victorian-era "Rosemont" red brick rooming house at 39-41 Irving St., which was destroyed in an arson fire in 2012, plans to rehabilitate the building, make it energy efficient and then rename the historic landmark after its probable architect and builder, George S. Clough.

"This place was a disaster," said George C. Valeri, building owner, after the fire. The Worcester investor owns several properties in the city. "The average property owner may have just walked away."

The flat roof caved in, and heavy fire and extensive smoke and water damage destroyed the circa-1890 three-story rooming house on Aug. 4, 2012. Fire officials at the time deemed the building a total loss. The Fire Department estimated it put 1 million gallons of water into the building, Mr. Valeri said.

The rooming house building is at Irving and Austin streets in the Crown Hill Local Historic District, one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city, just two blocks from Main Street downtown. The landmark was formerly known as the G. Stearn Apartment Building and the Helen B. Himelman Lodging House. Mr. Valeri said he had no idea where the name "Rosemont," which was on the awning, came from, and it cannot be found in documentation of the building's history.

Mr. Valeri, who considers himself an experienced property owner and investor, bought the 18-unit rooming house from contractors for $500,000 in 2005 and said the building was in good shape. Some of the units had original crown molding in them.

As he considered his options after the fire, Mr. Valeri said, "I put my thinking cap on. I thought about a parking lot; Worcester could use another parking lot." His friend, community activist William T. Breault, chairman of the Main South Alliance for Public Safety, persuaded him to rebuild.

"My thought after was let's rebuild and make this a totally green building." Mr. Valeri said.

Sometime after the fire, he learned the building had been left out of the newly created Crown Hill Local Historic District in the spring, so he began to attend meetings and took steps to make sure the long-time rooming house would be included in the district, which it was.

The Crown Hill Local Historic District encompasses about 40 acres in an area generally bounded by Pleasant, Irving, Austin and Newbury streets.

"When someone asks to be in," said Randy Bloom, "we're all for it."

Mr. Bloom, who served on the board of the Crown Hill Neighborhood Association, said all the properties in the historic district must have "a very exacting history of the property."

Mr. Bloom, who recently resigned from the neighborhood association because he is set to be appointed to the Worcester Historic Commission in January, said the association was always impressed with the way Mr. Valeri cared for his property. For example, he maintained a small garden space for his tenants.

"George, we feel, has been an asset to the neighborhood," Mr. Bloom said.

Dating back to 1837, Crown Hill is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city.

A local historic district is a specific area recognized for its historical and architectural significance. Such districts are intended to preserve architecturally and historically significant buildings, structures and places through a design process that considers the elements, features and overall setting of properties within them.

"Since we're in a historic neighborhood," Mr. Valeri said, "we have to do it right."

Mr. Valeri said Craig L. Blais, president and CEO of Worcester Business Development Corp., referred him to Maynard-based Epsilom Associates, which helped prepare an application for a Massachusetts Historic Rehabilitation tax credit. The total cost of the project is expected to be approximately $655,000. The cleanup of fire debris in the building has taken place, but construction is on hold until the city issues building permits.

Preservation Worcester and the Worcester Historical Commission wrote letters to the Massachusetts Historical Commission in support of the tax credit application.

"We urge your favorable consideration of the 39-41 Irving Street project for this tax credit," wrote James W. Igoe, or Preservation Worcester. "Just two blocks from Main Street, the building's residents will have excellent access to public transit and downtown amenities. This work will also demonstrate to neighboring property owners the economic benefits of historic preservation."

The George S. Clough brick house is an example of a three-family dwelling added to the rear of an older house lot to intensify the density of housing during the post-Civil War period, when Worcester's population was growing rapidly. Its idiosyncratic plan reflects the limited space available on the site, and its front fašade contains unusual, patterned brick decoration along the parapet. There are entrances on the Austin and Irving street sides of the building.

Two nearby properties are the Willard Richmond Apartment Block, 43 Austin St., a four-story red-brick Italianate-style building, and the Russell Apartments at 49 Austin St., a four-story red brick Classic revival-style building. Each is listed in the state and national Registers of Historic Places.

In addition to changing the name of the building, Mr. Valeri decided he would like to rent rooms to college students once the rehabilitation is done.

"This is not going to be a rooming house in the traditional sense of the word," Mr. Valeri said.

Worcester became a center of industry in the mid-19th century and the rooming house became desirable for immigrant families seeking employment.

Chris Valeri, who works with his father as operations manager, said the rehabbed building will be constructed like the micro-units popping up in big cities, with a small kitchen with a table, cook-top range, counter and sink, closet and toilet in each space. He said the design of the micro-units will maximize the space in each unit.

"It's almost a re-run of the 1880s use of the original building," Chris Valeri said. "There's a need for housing, and I think these micro-units will be very popular."

George Valeri said he is enjoying the process and challenge of rehabbing the building.

"I'm very enthusiastic that this building is going to be everything we set it out to be," George Valeri said.